And so it came to pass, on 14-07-96 11:19,
   that Tom Moore spake unto Matt Ion:
 TM> I do not mean to cut down the whole field of competition car audio.
Hi Tom!  I've known your writings in this forum long enough to realize that 

 TM> It is just that every one of these shows I have attended, and
 TM> admittedly, I have only been to a few, have had a bunch of folks
 TM> (mostly male except for the bikini or thong clad beach babes that
 TM> seem to be added for color) standing around gawking at some great
 TM> looking ride FROM A SAFE DISTANCE as the thing goes through it's
 TM> earthquake immitation.  
These may or may not have been shows sanctioned by one of the major 
competition bodies though.  "Private" competitions may place a greater 
emphasis on sheer volume.  To someone not "into" car audio, the difference 
may seem moot.  To someone who competes "professionally" there's a MAJOR gap 
between the two types of sound-offs -- kind of like the difference between 
two guys racing for pink slips on an abandoned back road, and world-class 
Formula One racing.  One is significantly more important and impressive to a 
significantly larger segment of the population than is the other.
One also carries a substantial cash prize :)
 TM> The heads of these guys bob up and down knowingly and they
 TM> occasionaly turn to one another and grin with teeth clenched as if
 TM> it is somehow ecstasy inducing and painful at the same time. Hey,
 TM> if they are getting off, cool.  If it's a hobby that is rewarding,
 TM> more power to 'em.  
It's also possible that most of the noise was coming from manufacturers' demo 
vehicles.  Orion, for example, has a couple vans that they take to the 
various events to show off their products.  Both go to the extreme -- the one 
I do remember the specs for had a wall built just behind the sliding side 
door, with eighteen (four-five-five-four across) twelve-inch subwoofers 
mounted in it.  Total power was rated at 4800W (pissant for a concert sound 
system, but over-the-top for something running on a 12VDC supply).  Interior 
SPL had been measured (with volume controlled by an EXTERNAL remote, of 
course) at around 153dB.  With the help of a little specialized processing, a 
DAT with a recording of the lowest pipe-organ note in existence (around 28Hz 
as I recall) produced vibrations I could feel in the ground from 200 feet 
away.  The windshield was moving in-and-out almost a full inch in response to 
this.
But again, these are not the guys who drive down your quiet residential 
street at 3AM trying to see how many car alarms they can set off; this is a 
system designed for the sole purpose of showing off that manufacturer's wares 
(in Orion's case, speakers, amps and crossovers).  Obviously, the noise is 
great for attracting crowds -- every half hour or so, as onlookers thin out, 
they'll crank it up for 30 seconds or so to get peoples' attention :)
BTW, one of the Orion vans also had a 12V-powered VCR on the engine-cover 
console, hooked to a 4" color TV in the dash, and a 14" color TV between the 
front seats for the rear seats to view.  They were playing the dogfight 
scenes from Top Gun through that system and leaving most theaters' sound 
systems in the dust :)
 TM> I used to be into race cars - another pursuit of aimless torque,
 TM> speed and power.  Of what use is a 510 HP super trick Chevelle that
 TM> will do the quarter in record time when it spends most of it's
 TM> driving time on streets with at best, a 45 MPH speed limit?  Not
 TM> much, but I did it. 
As some lame-brains take their earthquake-inducers to the streets.  Those who 
are truly in it for the love of the sport generally save all their systems' 
juice for the competitions; some high-end vehicles are even trailered to the 
events.
 TM> Did I think it was macho and would get me woman?  Truthfully, I
 TM> guess I did and I got off on the acceleration.  I was not into top
 TM> end - torque and acceleration flipped my switch.
Hey, some guys like a lot of bass (torque?) more than top end in their audio 
systems too.  Makes a little more sense when you can relate it to something 
you're familiar with, no?
 TM>   In retrospect, I had a ball, got a lot of tickets and very few of
 TM> the dream babes I thought I would.
Hey, as long as you had fun.
See, one could take your original "all the competitions care about is volume" 
comment and apply it to racing as well.  "All races are about is sheer 
speed."  Nope.  Not even drag races -- there's more to it than raw speed.  
And drags, as you know, account for only a small portion of the types of 
races out there.  Both are extremely varied fields that are often 
painted-over with one "evil" word, such as "loud" or "fast".
 TM> I know you are a pro at this stuff and I do not mean to appear to
 TM> demean the hobby or the pursuit of happiness.  Also, if I am not
 TM> mistaken, you make a very comfortable living installing fine car
 TM> audio.  
Well, I used to.  Haven't worked in the field for several years, but would 
like to.  It was steady, well-paying work that I enjoyed doing day-in and 
day-out.  Lately I've been doing more live-sound *and* studio work (both pay 
alright, but gigs are infrequent), as well as computer and network consulting 
(pays much better but gigs are even rarer because of the somewhat 
"specialized" types of systems I deal with).
 TM> Truth is, I would MUCH rather these mobile detonators compete than
 TM> sit next to me in traffic or bum out my trip to the beach.  It all
 TM> comes down to people and their level of responsibility.  To have
 TM> massive power does not mean one must wield that power without
 TM> thought.
Precisely.  Hey, my car system can get pretty loud (for the minimal amount of 
power I'm running in it), but it usually DOESN'T unless I'm out on the 
freeway or somewhere it won't disturb anyone.
 TM>  Maybe it's fate, but somehow, the ones that do always seem to end
 TM> up next to me at stoplights and my entire Toyota van resonates with
 TM> the might of their horrible wrath - and they usually look over at
 TM> me with a nod and a leer I guess I am supposed to knowingly return.
Get yourself a paintball gun and return a nice bright-red paint splotch 
instead :)
 TM>  I don't like anything that is forced upon me.  I love music.  I
 TM> love chocolate cake.  The first time anybody trys to ram a hunk of
 TM> cake down my throat without my permission however, is a very
 TM> different matter.
Up here, we have these great commercials for milk (no specific brand; they're 
produced by some "Dairy Council" or something.  In one, the cops have the 
scummy-looking perpetrator in the interrogation room.  The second cop comes 
in and puts his lunch down on the table.  Prominently visible to the 
emaciated captive is a package of chocolate cupcakes.  "Oh, you want some of 
this?" (Captive nods furiously). "Here!" (Captive wolfs down cupcakes in a 
matter of seconds). "Now," says the cop, "we can do this the easy way..." 
(cop reaches under the table, brings out a small carton of milk, and smacks 
it down on the table just out of reach of the scumbag) "Or we can do it the 
hard way."
 >> For some, it's a hobby.  For others, it's a job, an occupation... a
 >> living.  Hey, some guys put on funny rubber outfits and stand
 >> waist-deep in ice-cold water, waving a magic wand in an attempt to
 >> attract smelly, slimy water creatures, as a hobby... whatever turns
 >> your crank, dude :) 
 >>TM> It requires a fat wallet, skill and devotion, but not necessarily
 >>TM> a good ear. 
Ah, but a good ear combined with skill and devotion can do more with a thin 
wallet than can a fat wallet with a bad case of penis envy :)
It is one of the more frustrating parts of being a competitor -- putting your 
own heart, soul and limited budget into a system composed of affordable 
components, only to be trounced on by a guy with more money than common sense 
who merely paid a half-dozen or so professionals to install the most 
outrageous gear money can buy.
 TM>  I don't see anyone winning at competition audio shows without
 TM> spending at least many coins.  
To *compete* in anything of this sort, be it car audio, racing of any sort 
(bicycle, horses, cars, boats, etc) or any similar type of show-of-power, 
does require significant cash layout, to be sure.  A certain level of quality 
in components is generally necessary.  But one of the reasons to compete is 
also the promise of a cash prize for being the best, and in some cases, for 
the competitors who can win consistently, the costs are offset by sponsorship 
deals.
But competition at this level, including professional sports, is far beyond 
being just a "hobby".
I know (and have teched for) a band that does their thing as a hobby.  They 
all have "real" day jobs, but for the past 15 years or so have been playing 
clubs, grads, weddings and special events as a cover band (albeit doing very 
original versions of some covers :), just for fun.  They make enough money to 
cover expenses, keep the gear in operational shape (it's an entirely 
self-contained show, including lights, sound system and truck), and put a few 
bucks in their pockets... but they don't do it day-in and day-out for a 
living, so they're not always dropping wads of cash to keep up with the 
latest, greatest gear (much to the techs' chagrin -- it's often a battle to 
repair stuff just before soundcheck :)
For a band that makes its living by playing, touring and recording, though, 
they also have to SPEND more money just to keep going.
 TM> but once again, I dumped mountains of cash into my race car and did
 TM> nearly all the work myself so it comes down to the same thing - if
 TM> you get off on it, do it!
Here here!  Just don't run over my petunias!
IKEA ... Swedish for "particle board."
--- Sqed/32 1.10/unreg
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